Sunday Gospel Reflection
The righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father

Introduction:

Each week during Mass we pray and/or sing, "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." Do we take these words for granted, and treat them lightly? For Jesus these words were not lightly spoken or lightly taught to his disciples. Jesus came preaching the Kingdom of God. In Matthew's Gospel alone the Kingdom is mentioned over seventy-five times. Over sixteen times Jesus explains what "the Kingdom of God is like," and numerous other times states the way things are in God's  Kingdom. So it is probably not an exaggeration to say that the Kingdom of God was of vital importance to Jesus.

Pope Paul VI explains, "Christ, as the herald of the gospel, announces first of all the kingdom, that is the kingdom of God, and to this he attributes such essential importance that all else becomes 'those other things which shall be yours without the asking'. The kingdom of God is to be considered, therefore, as the absolute good so that everything else is subordinate to it. It is the pleasure of Christ to describe in many ways the joy of belonging to this kingdom and this happiness comprises many things which the world rejects. He elaborates the requirements of this kingdom and its Magna Charta, its heralds, its mysteries, the status of little children in it and the vigilance and fidelity required to all who assist its coming." (Evangelii Nuntiandi)

Though this week's Gospel reading speaks of separating the weeds from the good grain, Jesus' focus is on the power and vitality of his Kingdom. Though evil people may dwell along side of Christ's followers, they are not able to prevail over the citizens of Christ's Kingdom. The citizens of the Kingdom are likened to a tiny mustard seed, or a small portion of leaven. Though small and insignificant in appearance they are able to affect their environment in a major way. So Christ  intends for us, the citizens of his Kingdom, though also insignificant, to affect our environment in a major way. We are able to do this as we allow Christ and his values to permeate our lives, and thus our environ-ment. We are able to have this affect due to the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, and his constant  intercession for us. 

If we are not to take our prayer, "thy Kingdom come, thy will be done" nor the Kingdom of God for granted it must become our consuming passion to know the mysteries of the Kingdom and to experience its reality in our daily lives. This requires the radical conversion of which we spoke previously this month, a conversion which places ourselves and our interests in subordination to Christ and his wishes. Only when we do, will the purposes and mandate of his reign find their fulfillment through us. Only when we do, will we begin to experience the "joy of belonging" to his Kingdom.

First Reading
Wisdom 12:13, 16-19

13 For neither is there any god besides thee, whose care is for all men, to whom thou shouldst prove that thou hast not judged unjustly;
...
16 For thy strength is the source of righteousness, and thy sovereignty over all causes thee to spare all.
17 For thou dost show thy strength when men doubt the completeness of thy power, and dost rebuke any insolence among those who know it.
18 Thou who art sovereign in strength dost judge with mildness, and with great forbearance thou dost govern us; for thou hast power to act whenever thou dost choose.
19 Through such works thou has taught thy people that the righteous man must be kind, and thou hast filled thy sons with good hope, because thou givest repentance for sin

Second Reading
Romans 8:26-27

26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words.
27 And he who searches the hearts of men knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God

Gospel Reading
Matthew 13:24-43

24 Another parable he put before them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field;
25 but while men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away.
26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also.
27 And the servants of the householder came and said to him, 'Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then has it weeds?'
28 He said to them, `An enemy has done this.' The servants said to him, `Then do you want us to go and gather them?'
29 But he said, `No; lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them.
30 Let both grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be   burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.'"
31 Another parable he put before them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his field;
32 it is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air  come and make nests in its branches."
33 He told them another parable. "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened."
34 All this Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed he said nothing to them without a parable.
35 This was to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet: "I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the  world."
36 Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the   field."
37 He answered, "He who sows the good seed is the Son of man;
38 the field is the world, and the good seed means the sons of the kingdom; the weeds are the sons of the evil one,
39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the close of the age, and the reapers are angels.
40 Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the close of the age.
41 The Son of man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers,
42 and throw them into the furnace of fire; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.
43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.

Bible Study

Meditation

What can malicious weed-sowing tell us about the kingdom of God? The image Jesus
uses here is a common everyday example of planting, harvesting, and sorting the good fruit from the bad. Weeds can spoil and even kill a good harvest if they are not separated and destroyed at the proper time. Uprooting them too early, though, can destroy the good plants in the process. Just as nature teaches us patience, so God's patience also teaches us to guard the word he has planted in our hearts and to beware of the destructive force of sin and evil which can destroy it. God's word brings life, but Satan seeks to destroy the good seed which has been planted in the hearts of those who have heard God's word. God's judgment is not hasty, but it does come. And in the end, God will reward each according to what they have sown and reaped in this life. In that day God will separate the evil from the good.

What can mustard seeds and leaven teach us about the kingdom of God?  The tiny mustard seed literally grew to be a tree which attracted numerous birds because they loved the little black mustard seed it produced.  God's kingdom works in a similar fashion.  It starts from the smallest beginnings in the hearts of men and women who are receptive to God's word. And it works unseen and causes a transformation from within.  Leaven is another powerful agent of change.  A lump of dough left to itself remains just what it is, a lump of dough.  But when the leaven is added to it a transformation takes place which produces rich and wholesome bread when heated -- the staple of life for humans. The kingdom of God produces a transformation in those who receive the new life which Jesus Christ offers.  When we yield to Jesus Christ, our lives are transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. Paul the Apostle says, "we have this treasure in earthen vessels, to show that the transcendent power belongs to God and not to us" (2 Cor. 4:7).

Good and evil are sown in our hearts like tiny seeds which germinate, and in due time yield a harvest of good or bad fruit. Charles Read said: "Sow an act and you reap a habit.  Sow a habit and you reap a character.  Sow a character and you reap a destiny." In the day of judgment each will reap what he or she has sown in this life.  Those who sow good will shine in the kingdom of their Father. They will radiate with the beauty, joy, and fulness of God's love.

Reflections:

· Please re-read the phrase(s)/sentence(s) that move(s)/touche(s) you. What inner message of the heart is the Spirit whispering to you this week?

. Another parable he put before them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field; (Matthew 13:24)
  -----Do you allow God's word to take deep root in your heart?

. But he said, `No; lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. Let both grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be  burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.' (Matthew 13:29-30)
  -----To separate rightly the ones from the others is an impossible task for those who can judge only according to appearance. God alone can see clearly what is in the human heart. Contemplate your social and spiritual environments. What do you see of yourself and what do you perceive of others?

·  Another parable he put before them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air   come and make nests in its branches." (Matthew 13:31-32)
   -----Like the mustard seeds that grow ceaselessly,  what effort have you put in to grow spiritually under the grace of God? Is your faith growing stronger day after day? What should you do to encourage it along?
   -----Do you believe in the transforming power of the Holy Spirit?

.  He told them another parable. "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened. (Matthew 13:33)
    -----Like the yeast that leavens the dough, how have you allowed or used the Words of God to transform your complete being for the Kingdom of God?

. In our lives, we can obviously recognize all the defects of people around us. And even we sometimes are the weeds.
  ----- How does Jesus' message help you to deal with people who always cause you feel unpleasant?
  -----Do you allow the love of Christ to rule in your heart and in your actions?

. Share one experience in which you were not affected by the bad influence of coworkers or your fellow students. What method was helped you to keep steadfast?

To live His Word this week:

. Encourage and reward your children or siblings for something they are doing or behave well in this school year.

For Youngsters:

. Make your bed as soon as you wake up in the morning.

Prayer

Lord, let your word take root in my heart and may your all-consuming love transform my life that I may sow what is good, worthy, and pleasing to you.